Effects of pulsed and continuous Nd–YAG laser beam waves on welding of Inconel alloy

Abstract

In the present work a 2·5 kW high power Nd–YAG laser is used in the bead on plate (BOP) and butt welding of Inconel 690 plates of thickness 3 mm. Welding is performed using a rectangular laser pulse, for which the peak to base power ratio W_r is reduced from an initial value of 10 to a value of 1, maintaining an identical mean power of 1·7 kW. Therefore, the welding mode changes from a pulsed wave to a continuous wave. The BOP results indicate that the depth of the weld penetration increases at a lower travel speed and/or a higher value of W_r. In the butt welding process, as W_r is increased from 1 to 10, the cellular microstructure of the weld remains relatively unchanged, but the macroporosity formation ratio decreases from 7·1% to 0·6%. At low values of W_r, macroporosity is identified primarily in the root region. However, as W_r increases, the associated periodic high power increases the agitation of the molten pool and probably causes bubbles to float upwards. Consequently, at higher values of W_r, the regions of macroporosity are distributed randomly throughout the weld. Although microcracks are not apparent within any of the welds, each weld exhibits slight microporosity. This microporosity decreases as W_r increases. The present results confirm that a pulsed laser beam with an appropriate peak power can be used to achieve a compromise between the mechanical properties and surface roughness of the weld for Inconel 690 in Nd–YAG laser welding.     

Keyhole bottom separation in two beam Nd–YAG laser welding

Abstract

A pair of Nd–YAG laser beams transmitted through optical fibres from two oscillators have been condensed separately and combined at a single point on the workpiece in order to enhance welding ability. Bead on plate tests were carried out with symmetric arrangements of condensing optics in two different welding directions. Transition from penetration with one keyhole bottom to penetration with two bottoms occurred as the laser power increased when the angles of incidence of the laser beams were 30 or 45°. No transition occurred at 15°. Melting efficiency increased dramatically at the transition power, the transition conditions being determined by laser power and heat input.     

Joint performance of CO2 laser beam welding 5083,H321 aluminum alloy

Laser beam welding of aluminum alloys is expected to offer good mechanical properties of welded joints. In this experimental work reported, CO2 laser beam autogenoas welding and wire feed welding are conducted on 4 mm thick 5083- H321 aluminum alloy sheets at different welding variables. The mechanical properties and microstructure characteristics of the welds are evaluated through tensile tests, micro-hardness tests, optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy （SEM）. Experimental results indicate that both the tensile strength and hardness of laser beam welds are affected by the constitution of filler material, except the yield strength. The soften region of laser beam welds is not in the heat-affected zone （ HAZ ）. The tensile fracture of laser beam welded specimens takes place in the weld zone and close to the weld boundary because of different filler materials. Some pores are found on the fracture face, including hydrogen porosities and blow holes, but these pores have no influence on the tensile strength of laser beam welds. Tensile strength values of laser beam welds with filler wire are up to 345.57 MPa, 93% of base material values, and yield strengths of laser beam welds are equivalent to those of base metal （264. 50 MPa）.     

Aluminium alloy welding by CO2 laser using filler wire ‐AIN formation and aluminium alloy weldability

Based on literature sources and the author's own research, this article presents the current state of knowledge about composite coatings created by means of the plasma transfer method. The general characteristics of composite coatings and their strengthening mechanisms have been described. Methods of creating composite coatings by means of the plasma transfer method have also been discussed.     

Fluxless laser brazing of aluminium alloy to galvanized steel using a tandem beam – dissimilar laser brazing of aluminium alloy and steels

Tandem beam brazing with aluminium filler metal (BA4047) was conducted in order to develop the fluxless laser brazing technique of aluminium alloy (AA6022) to galvanized steels (GA and GI steels). Laser powers of tandem beam and offset distance of preheating beam from the root to the steel base metal were varied. Sound braze beads could be obtained by optimizing the preheating and main beam powers under the offset distances of 0–1 mm. A small amount of zinc remained at the braze interface between galvanized steels and the braze metal. The reaction layer consisting of Fe–Al intermetallic compounds was also formed at the steel interface, and the thickness of reaction layer could be predicted during the laser brazing (thermal cycle) process based on the growth kinetics with the additivity rule. The metal flow analysis of the melted filler metal on joints revealed that wettability and spreadability of the filler metal on the GI steel joint were superior to those on the GA steel joint. The fracture strength of the lap joint attained approx. 55–75% of the base metal strength of aluminium alloy. It was concluded that fluxless laser brazing could be successfully performed by using a tandem beam because the zinc coat layer acted as the brazing flux.     

Characterisation comparison of laser and laser–arc hybrid welding of Invar 36 alloy

Laser and laser–arc hybrid welding are employed to join Invar 36 alloy. The microstructure, coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and mechanical properties of laser weld (LW) and hybrid weld (HW) are analysed and compared. The tensile test shows both LW and HW fractured in the weld metal, but the HW is stronger than the LW. Especially, the yield strength of HW is 362·8 MPa, 16·2% higher than that of LW. Both the CTE and Curie temperature of LW are almost the same with those of base material. The CTE of HW is higher than that of base material because the Ni content reduces and the content of other alloying elements increases. Moreover, the CTE of HW deviates from the theoretic curves of Fe–Ni alloy apparently. According to the theory of Invar effect, the deviation is attributed to the formation of new phase, FeCr_0·29Ni_0·16C_0·06.     

Optimisation of CO2 laser beam edge‐to‐edge welding of Al‐Mg alloy sheets

Steels applied for construction of oil and gas pipelines are analysed; examples of X70 and X80 steel pipelines are given. The mechanical properties and weldability of X70 and X80 steel as well as principles of quality inspection of pipelines performed at a building site are described. On the grounds of the literature survey and the author's own experience, both shortcomings and advantages of application of advanced high-yield-strength steels, for instance X80 steel, for construction of high-pressure pipelines are presented.     

Development and application of flux‐paste for laser welding of aluminium alloys

Summary

A metal which rejects energy or diffuses it too easily results in an energy surplus, modifying the balance of the usual mechanisms of laser welding. The solution is to stabilise the molten pool in order to avoid such losses.     

Modulated Nd : YAG laser welding of Ti–6Al–4V

Abstract

Modulating the output of Nd : YAG laser sources has been evaluated as a technique for producing high quality welds in titanium alloys. Welds with high internal quality were produced when a square wave form was used with a modulation frequency ≥125 Hz and a duty cycle of 50%. Undercut present in the weld profile can be reduced if the correct combination of modulation amplitude and laser beam focal plane position are used. High speed observation and subsequent Fourier analysis of the vapour plume and keyhole behaviour have shown that they both exhibit the same periodic tendencies. With the correct parameters, an oscillating wave can be set up in the weld pool, which appears to manipulate the vapour plume behaviour and hence reduce porosity formation.     

Optimisation of Nd–YAG laser welding of superduplex stainless steel by parameter design

Abstract

Many researchers have found the welding of super duplex stainless steel UNS S32760 (Zeron 100) by high power CO₂ laser to be an unacceptable process, because the austenite/ferrite (γ/α) ratio in the laser weld bead normally deviates significantly from the optimum balance of 50 : 50. To date, the best γ/αratio in a laser weld reported in the published literature was ～30 : 70. The high percentage of ferrite would result in lower strength and poor corrosion properties. The present investigation was aimed at achieving a near 50 : 50 γ/αratio laser weld using the Nd–YAG laser. These lasers have more process parameters that can be varied, compared to CO₂ lasers. Three different kinds of output power waveform, continuous, sine, and square waves, together with many other parameters, were investigated. The Taguchi method was used for parameter design, to reduce the number of experiments. Based on the Taguchi approach, optimum process parameters were determined and laser weld beads that consisted of 55 : 45 γ/α were achieved.     

A study on the porosity of CO2 laser welding of titanium alloy

0IntroductionTitanium alloys are increasingly applied in aeronauticindustry because of its higher strength to weight ratio thansteel and superior fatigue performance to aluminum alloy.At the same time there are many newtitanium-based alloysoccurring,such as Ti3Al-Nb titanium aluminide[1].Weldsof titanium alloy are prone to porosity,presenting a poten-tial problem for many application requiring sealing,corro-sion and fatigue resistance and good fracture toughness.Many studies have demonstrate…     

Optimisation of the processes of laser,microplasma and hybrid laser–microplasma welding of aluminium alloys

The results of investigation into laser, microplasma and hybrid laser–microplasma methods of welding aluminium alloys are presented. The optimum energy values for welding with the radiation of CO₂ lasers are determined. Shortcomings of microplasma welding are outlined and the main advantages of hybrid laser–microplasma welding are discussed. Detailed study of the macro- and microstructures of the welded joints and the heat affected zone shows that in all cases the structure is sufficiently equiaxed, dense, without visible defects and is dendritic.     

Effects of magnesium content on dual beam Nd : YAG laser welding of Al – Mg alloys

Abstract

The effects of Mg content on the weldability of aluminium alloy sheet using the dual-beam Nd:YAG laser welding process have been studied by making bead-on-plate welds on 1.6 mm thick AA 1100, AA 5754 (3.2 wt-%Mg) and AA 5182 (4.6 wt-%Mg) alloy sheets. Whereas all full-penetration laser welds made in 1100 aluminium were of excellent quality,many of the welds produced in the aluminium–magnesium alloys exhibited rough, spiky underbead surfaces with drop-through and undercut. A limited range of process variables was found, however, that allowed welds with acceptable weld bead quality to be produced in the 5754 and the 5182 alloy sheet. Goodwelds were only produced in these alloys if the lead/lag laser beam power ratio was ≥1. Weld penetration and the maximum welding speed allowing full penetration keyhole-mode welding were observed to increase with Mg content. This was attributed to the effect of Mg on the vapour pressure within the keyhole and the surface tension of the Al–Mg alloys. Significant occluded vapour porosity was seen in the 5754 and 5182 alloy welds with borderline penetration; however, there was no evidence of porosity in the acceptable full-penetration welds with smooth underbead surfaces. Hardness profiles in the 5754 and 5182 welds showed a gradual increase in hardness from the base metal values through the heat affected zone (HAZ) to a peak in hardness in the weld metal adjacent the fusion boundary. It is possible that this increase in hardness may be the result of the presence of Mg₂Al₃ or metastable Mg₂Al₃′ precipitates in this region of the weld and HAZ.     

Effects of welding parameters on melting energy of CO2 laser–GMA hybrid welding

Abstract

A series of CO₂ laser–gas metal arc (GMA) hybrid welding experiments were carried out on the mild steel workpiece to investigate the effects of the welding parameters, such as laser power, arc current and the distance between laser and arc D _LA, on the melting energy. A dimensionless parameter psi was introduced to indicate the change in the melting energy of hybrid welding. The results showed that with different welding parameters, the melting energy of hybrid welding was changed by the two heat sources (laser and arc) interaction. With an optimal combination welding parameters, psi can be increased up to 23%. Finally, the role of the two different mechanisms in the heat sources interaction was quantitatively discussed in terms of psi. It can be concluded that when D _LA<4 mm, the interaction between the laser induced plasma and the arc plasma dominates the heat sources interaction, therefore the changes of melting energy, whereas the heat sources interaction is only dominated by the preheating mechanism when D _LA≥4 mm.     

Optimisation of welding using two Nd–YAG laser beams combined at workpiece surface

Abstract

Two Nd–YAG laser beams were combined at a certain point on the workpiece surface to increase weld penetration depth. One of the beams was a pulsed laser beam, and the other was a continuous wave laser beam or a modulated laser beam. Using this combination of laser beams, a wide range of welding conditions, such as average power, peak power, and power density, could be selected. A high peak power pulsed laser beam would play a significant role in forming a keyhole, but a severe spatter loss problem could be encountered under high peak power laser conditions, thus the conditions necessary to prevent spatter loss were investigated. The greatest penetration depth is obtained under the critical conditions for spatter loss. Critical conditions for spatter loss are controlled by the peak power of a pulsed laser beam, thus deeper weld penetration is obtained using a pulsed laser beam with higher average power, that is, of longer pulse width and/or a higher repetition rate within the limit of the oscillator output. Moreover, spatter loss is reduced under conditions providing large molten zones in the weld, thus a higher peak power pulsed laser beam can be employed under such conditions. Large molten zones are obtained using a modulated laser beam of a high average power and/or low welding speeds.     

Mechanism of laser beam welding for SiCp／6063Al composite

The laser beam welding technique was used to process SiC particles/6063A1 alloy matrix composite, the influence of laser power and welding speed on the properties of joint was studied. Decreasing the laser beam power with same welding speed can make the quantity and size of A14C3 decreased, and the interactive mechanism of the reinforcing particles and the matrix in the joint and the causes for joint strength reduction were analyzed.Increasing welding speed properly can improve the distribution of energy and restrain the interfacial reaction in the molten pool, and measures for improving were proposed.     

CO2 laser welding of 5A06 aluminum alloy plates with different thicknesses

CO2 laser beam welding of aluminum alloys with different thicknesses was carded out. The influences of laser power and travel speed on the weld width were analyzed. The mechanical characteristics of tailor-welded blanks （TWB） with unequal thickness were evaluated using tensile tests, and the fracture appearance was inspected after tensile tests. The microstructure of welded joints was analyzed by SEM. The results indicate that this alloy can be laser welded with full penetration. All the tensile specimens fracture on the base metal, far from the weld in the transverse direction. The tensile strength and yield strength of TWB are 89% and 91.2% compared with the base metal. The percentage of the thinner plate in the specimen has an important effect on the transverse elongation. The transverse elongation of TWB approaches that of the base metal when the thinner plate has a large percentage in TWB specimen. The weld microstructure shows extra-fine grains. Dendrite exists around weld fusion line and the equiaxed grains in the weld.     

Comparison of single and double pass friction stir welding of skin–stringer aviation aluminium alloy

Abstract

To enhance the strength of the skin–stringer structures used in aircraft, comparative tests between single and double pass friction stir welding (FSW) were performed. Aluminium alloy was used for the skin (2524-T3, 1·8 mm) and stringer (7150-T77511, 2·4 mm). An equilateral right angled structure was used, and perfect joints without internal defects were obtained. Tensile, peel and metallographic tests were also implemented. The results show that the average peel strength of a double pass FSW joint is at least twice that from single pass FSW. Therefore, double pass FSW is an effective way of improving the connection strength of an aircraft skin–stringer structure.